Listen here.

Blueroad Press is proud to announce the publication of a new collection of poetry from renowned St. Peter, Minnesota, writer and poet Phil Bryant. Stompin’ at The Grand Terrace is a charged and lyrical homage to the forces in his life: family, music, love. From his childhood living room in Chicago, listening to James, his father, and Preston, his father’s friend, debate the great jazz records of our time; to remembrances of his great-aunt who helped raise him; to the person he has become now, we grow with Bryant as we read through the funny, poignant, and brilliant poems in this book.

Available in May 2009, the book will be accompanied by a CD of performance pieces: a collaboration with an old childhood friend, Carolyn Wilkins. Carolyn, a renowned jazz pianist, composed a suite of twelve pieces around the words and images of Phil’s poetry. It’s an awesome way to hear and feel this new project, and we hope you like it!

This is a very preliminary call for submissions for the second edition of The Blueroad Reader. If you haven’t gotten the first book, Stardust and Fate, go here to order one. Read it. Then write something that continues the conversation, send it to us (directions for submissions here), and we’ll be in touch.

I’ll post the true call for submissions on the blog and at our website when I get it (our publisher is just a little behind…). But have no fear, we’re going to be back in the game here very soon.

These two lanes will take us anywhere.

Joe reads at Raking Through Books

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Ann reads Toga Dance at Raking Through Books

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Friends,

Many thanks to those who were able to attend and participate in the Mankato Barnes & Noble launch last night. I know some people were unable to be there (having to be -- or living -- elsewhere), but for those who came it was a memorable night, I think.

The folks at the bookstore were wonderfully gracious: manager Jim Englert said he counted more than 150 people in the audience at one point -- standing room only! -- and everyone was rapt by the readings, which were stunning. Please forgive me for overlooking in the blur of my obvious confusion several shoutouts: In particular, I missed calling Ed Micus up to read, and failed to acknowledge Ron Gower's wonderful contributions to the entire enterprise -- ranging from his long-time friendship to so many of us to his terrific story in the Mankato paper and lovely poem in the book. Sorry for the slips.

Please know I'm humbled by everyone's belief in Blueroad and honored to publish the work of every author and artist. People raved last night about the book, outside and in, and I'm gratified to hear the comments. Certainly the press at Sentinel Printing in St. Cloud did a tremendous job. We picked up books Monday afternoon, right at the wire, and they indeed look great.

And thanks to those who later last night went downtown for a drink (quite a surprise for Cindi & me as we walked through the door), and especially to Fish Frye (Ann & Joe) for their delightful music (thanks for "State Trooper" -- I heard it all). Quite the crowd. All good folks to be hanging out with.

We're catching our breath a moment this morning, processing a few orders, and moving ahead to a few more events, including the reading hosted by Common Good Books on Sunday, August 19, in St. Paul. In addition, Minnesota Center for Book Arts in Minneapolis may be interested in an event combining an exhibit of the illustrators' work with a reading, plus we're planning a joint appearance in the fall w Scott King's Red Dragonfly Press. I'll send details about each when settled.

In addition to sending a call for submissions for Volume 2 of The Reader shortly, we're casting about for other publishing projects, including soliciting queries for books. Please feel free, if you're so inclined...

And again to everyone: Thank you. It has been an honor and pleasure to publish this book.

Pretty wild.

Best,John